Torres reaches 100 HRs as Yankees rout winless Phils

NEW YORK -- The home runs seemed to come a little quicker at the beginning of Gleyber Torres’ career, the Yankees’ infielder readily acknowledges. But as early-season power continues to flow throughout his team’s lineup, everyone seems to be enjoying the surge.

Torres hit his 100th career homer as part of a perfect offensive evening, reaching base five times, and Anthony Rizzo also launched a two-run homer as the Bombers coasted to an 8-1 rout of the winless Phillies on Monday evening at Yankee Stadium.

“It feels great; amazing,” Torres said. “It’s really special, especially to do it here in Yankee Stadium. It’s great to hit that kind of home run here.”

Torres, who hit 24 homers last season, touched the century mark in his 580th career game. He’s the seventh-fastest Yankee to reach the milestone, behind Gary Sánchez (355), Aaron Judge (371), Joe DiMaggio (395), Lou Gehrig (514), Joe Gordon (528) and Mickey Mantle (576).

“In 2020 and ’21, I slowed down a little bit, but I hope to get more than a hundred homers and have a really good career,” Torres said.

At 26 years and 111 days, Torres is also the seventh-youngest Yankee to hit 100 home runs, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Torres’ blast came in the third inning off Philadelphia starter Taijuan Walker, a Statcast-projected 361-foot shot that carried over the right-field wall.

“He’s capable of that,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I think his approach has been excellent. I think his at-bat quality has been excellent, punctuated by tonight where he’s on [base] every time and going the other way. He’s got that kind of power.”

Torres reached on a run-scoring infield single in the first inning, homered in the third, then walked in his final three plate appearances of the night.

“I feel good,” Torres said. “I’m trying to be a little bit more patient. Sometimes I’m too aggressive and I start to roll over or strike out a lot. I know strikeouts are part of the game, but this year I’m trying not to strike out a lot. I’m trying to put the ball in play a little bit more.”

With starter Nestor Cortes in line for the victory after having twirled five frames of one-run ball, Rizzo joined the power party in New York’s five-run fifth, belting a 387-foot, two-run shot to the second deck in right field off Yunior Marte.

Rizzo’s shot marked the Yanks’ ninth homer so far, which ties for their fourth-most homers through their first four games of a season (12 homers in 2003, 11 in 2011, 10 homers in 1932 and nine in 1957). Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Torres each have two.

“I think we’ve been pretty disciplined,” Rizzo said. “We’ve had good at-bats. We’re aggressive but also selective. We’ve put pressure on pitchers. It’s been fun.”

That fifth inning, in which the Yanks batted around, was a good example. After Rizzo’s homer, Franchy Cordero made Marte pay for a pair of walks by belting his first hit in pinstripes, a two-run double to the gap in right-center field.

“This is an amazing team. Look at the lineup,” said Cordero, who played the last two seasons with the Red Sox. “I’ve been on the other side, so I know how it feels when the guys are coming up to bat and you’re playing defense.”

After a strikeout, Jose Trevino connected for an RBI single and Anthony Volpe walked before DJ LeMahieu skied a ball to right field as the 10th batter of the inning.

“It’s contagious, for sure,” Rizzo said. “At this time, early in the year, it’s kind of easy to be anxious to get hits. But when you’re taking your walks and getting on base, passing it on, it helps.”